When producing knit wiping cloths and the like, it is the usual practice to wind up the circular knit fabric in a flattened condition on a take-up roll which rotates with the needle cylinder. The roll of knit fabric is then removed from the knitting machine and laid up in multiple layers along a cutting table. The stacked layers of flattened tubular knit fabric are then transversely cut by a fabric cutting saw or knife into predetermined lengths to produce stacks of wiping cloths. It is desirable to cut each of the wiping cloths with the same number of knit courses therein. However, it is difficult to lay up each layer of the knit fabric on the cutting table under uniformly tensioned conditions, so that some layers of fabric may be stretched longitudinally to a greater extent than others. Under these circumstances, the wiping cloths may have different numbers of courses therein, even though the stacked layers of knit fabric are cut of exactly the same length.
Also, transverse cutting of the knit fabric with a cutting saw or knife leaves short loose ends of yarn formed by partial stitch loops. These small loose ends of yarn are difficult to remove during subsequent washing and finishing operations. If the wiping cloth is used in dust and lint removal prior to painting, these short loose ends of yarn can become dislodged and be deposited on the article which is being cleaned by the wiping cloth. This known system of producing cut lengths of knit fabric, such as wiping cloths, is expensive since it requires that the knitting machine remain idle while the roll of knit cloth is removed. It takes expensive equipment and time to lay up the layers of knit fabric and to then cut the layers of knit into predetermined lengths.